Small Gods.
by d-d-duley
Summary: //You are aware of the prophecy? Yes, but my son is strong...// Four boys to change the fate of the world, not knowing their real identities, these four are like no other...
1. The god of death....

Authors note: Hi, it's me

Authors note: Hi, it's me. Now for those of you that haven't read one of my fics before, I will warn you now. 1) I love pestering people for opinions and how they want the story to go/end, so I will be asking for people to VOTE!!! 2) I am a big fan of 1+2, HOWEVER if people object to it, and I get enough votes in my reviews saying no 1+2 please, then I will not write it. 3) I love getting reviews, and put an authors note at the beginning of nearly every chapter. 4) Good luck reading this!

Disclaimers: If I get this out of the way now, no one can sue me heheheheh! (You won't get much anyway.) I do not own Gundam Wing or the song I will be using at the beginning of each chapter, if I infringe on any more copyrighted things, I do not own them either. The storyline however, is my own.

Just to explain the Greek terms.

Ares: God of war.

Hades: Lord of the underworld. (Where souls were said to go.)

Uranus: The magician god.

Apollo: Sun God.

Right, you can read now.

**_Everybody nice! Everybody nice!_**

**_Believe in the shining of tomorrow,_**

**_Everybody chance! Everybody chance!_**

**_Grab onto my hand and carry on…_**

_ _

_ _

The large airy room with white marble walls was packed from ceiling to floor with deities of all kinds, from the sun god Apollo to the lowly Hermes, messenger for them all. The birth of a child to the deities was so rare; it was always celebrated with much happiness. The birth of four boys, all born at the same time, well, the gods had thrown the biggest celebration in the history of the world.

_ _

_There was no such thing as a christening; however, there was the naming ceremony, done when the child was one. The small blond-haired boy with blue eyes and rosy cheeks was the son of Apollo and his wife Aphrodite. The second child had light brown hair that bordered on red, with sparkling emerald orbs. He was the son Uranus and Hyppolita. The third child was dark-haired with deep blue eyes; the child's parents were Ares and Emmanui, and lastly the chestnut-haired violet-eyed little boy that belonged to Hades and Persephone. Already the small child had a braid that snaked halfway down its back._

_ _

_Each child was given its name by the parents and each time a round of applause broke spontaneously from the assembled gods and goddesses. Child number one was named Quatre, meaning the re-born sun. The second child was named Trowa, meaning un-broken spell, the third child was named Heero, which means the undefeated. Then came the naming of the last child. "And what do you name this child?" Asked Wufei, chief of the gods, chosen because of his fairness and sense of justice. "We name him," Began Hades, looking at his beautiful wife for reassurance, "We name him, Shinigami." A collective gasp arose from the crowd; this time however there was no applause, just a shocked silence._

_ _

_"Are you sure about this?" Asked Wufei, "You have surely heard the legend, do you wish to place a burden like that on the child?"_

_ _

_Hades looked up proudly from where he had been gazing at his son, "My child is strong, unlike the weak one's over there." He sneered slightly, lip curling in obvious contempt. "My son will be the god of death, not of the underworld perhaps, like me, but death all the same."_

_ _

_"Are you calling my child weak?" Asked Apollo in anger, it was a deadly violation of propriety to insult another god's child._

_ _

_Hades looked at the angry God. "Your child is weaker than mine, if you interpret it that way, then yes, I am." For a second time that day a gasp rose up around the hall._

_ _

_This was only the beginning, from then on, whenever one of the parents saw the parent of one of the other children, they would insult them, and make fun of them._

_ _

_This went on for about six months until matters finally came to a head when Ares staged a fake kidnapping of the other children, meaning it as a joke, but provoking all the gods into full scale war. Every Deity took sides and there was no rest neither night nor day until Wufei intervened._

_ _

_Instead of banishing the leading deities like everyone expected him to, Wufei found a way to punish them even more than that. Ares, Uranus, Hades and Apollo had their children taken from them and cast down onto the earth. The children were doomed to be mortals, unless they managed to perform a heroic deed that would prove they were capable of being a god once more…_

_ _

_Far down on earth, just after this event, four children appeared, each in the care of someone, once they were there, it seemed it had always been so…_

_ _

Violet eyes flew open, searching the surrounding darkness frantically. Soft, panicked breathing issued in the otherwise silent room, as slender fingers groped for a tinderbox to light the candle with.

As the flame flickered into existence the boy known as Duo Maxwell heaved a trembling sigh of relief. It had been the dream again. Usually he led a happy life in the temple dedicated to the lord of the underworld, where (according to the high priest) he had been abandoned by his mother as a tiny child. However, once every so often he would have The Dream. It consisted of nothing more than blackness, and then a woman's voice, screaming in anguish, the terrible burden of something precious that had been lost laying heavy in her tones. And then…nothing.

For some reason, although this does not sound at all frightening, it scared him terribly. And it only ever occurred after he had had one of his "turns."

He could never remember what happened during them, and no one would tell him, but for at least two days afterwards, people would avoid him.

He had once overheard the High priest talking to one of the acolyte's; he had merely been walking past the open doorway when he heard his name mentioned, curious he had paused, listening intently. "The boy is a demon, he's not a human!" The acolyte had cried, sounding like he was trying to make the older man see sense. "He becomes completely in-human during his turns, it's like he's possessed! I bet his mother gave him away when he was born because she saw he was evil!"

The High priest had paused for a long time before saying. "You are in this temple to learn wisdom, here is your first piece. No person, no matter who, or what they are, is born evil, no one. Duo has been with us all his life, and the boy is safe from the outside world, he is protected. Now was there any other business you wanted to attend to?"

And Duo had stolen away on silent feet, grasping his symbol of serenity so hard, the sharp edges had pricked his fingers, allowing a single rivulet of red blood to run down one hand.

That had been then, this was now. Now, the same high priest was ruling the temple, but he was becoming old, and soon they would elect a new one. Then what? Would he be thrown out? What would happen? 

He didn't know, but one thing was certain, he could earn his keep almost anywhere, so, if the worst came, he'd be able to survive.

Settling back down under the covers, Duo smiled sleepily to himself. It was nice knowing you were a survivor.

***********

Gasping for breath Heero Yuy backed up to the far wall, sweat running down his face and falling to the floor with a soft splash.

Across the room his opponent stood taunting him. "What's the matter Yuy lost your 'magic touch' already?" Zechs sneered, casually leaning on his training rapier.

Heero gritted his teeth and walked back to the centre of the room. Training in the palace to become a squire was hard, however, his life was made much harder with Zechs bothering him all the time.

The older squire tossed his long blond ponytail over one shoulder before facing Heero in the _en garde_ position once more. "Ready to lose again Yuy?" He asked, sneering elegantly. "Hardly." Heero replied, lunging at him before attacking in the crescent moon drill, followed by the rising sun pattern. Zechs's eyes widened slightly and he had to work hard to fend Heero's sword point off. 

But there was no stopping Heero when he became angry, you might as well have tried to stop a raging bull with an ant. That's how effective it would have been.

Heero's eyes watched constantly for an opening in Zechs's defence, he found one: Lunging forward his sword point flicked up and slid to a halt, barely gazing the base of Zechs's throat. Heero smiled grimly at the obviously enraged older boy. "I told you I wasn't prepared to lose Zechs."

Instead of acknowledging that Heero was the winner like he was meant to, Zechs gave a yell of frustration and drew a small dagger, plunging it between Heero's ribs into his chest. 

Heero's eyes widened in something bordering on amazement as he fell slowly to the floor. The last thought he remembered before darkness engulfed him was, _damn, I lost to Zechs, the training master's gonna kill me for that one…_

_ _

**********

_ _

"Duo?"

"What?" Duo looked up from the book he had been studying by the window, violet eyes questioning. The young acolyte who had been sent to fetch him shifted nervously under the steady un-wavering gaze. "The High Priest sent for you, it's another poor victim of the dark lord I'm afraid."

"Ah, I see." What the acolyte really meant, thought Duo, as he headed for the temple mortuary, was that Hades had claimed another soul, and he was the only one brave enough to prepare the corpse for the next life. They had had a hell of a job finding someone before he had volunteered.

As he entered the cool stone room with it's bare walls, he saw the body lying on the stone block. _Right,_ he thought, rolling up his sleeves, _let's see what this one's like, old man I'm betting. Oh well, whatever it is, all bodies end up here eventually._

_ _

However, as he approached it, he found, much to his surprise, that it wasn't an old man, or even, a middle aged one, the boy couldn't have been older than him. Intrigued he moved closer. Yes, the boy was no older than him, with dark brown hair, cut rather short and sticking up all over the place. Eyes were closed, and the boy had full rose pink lips set in a rather discontented frown.

Feeling rather sorry for this youth, no older than he, and yet with no more life to enjoy, Duo reached out to cross his hands over his chest. However, when his fingers touched the other boy's wrist, there came a huge flash, Duo could have sworn he felt something being…_sucked_ out of him, before a force picked him up and threw him ten feet away into the nearest wall.

"Uuuungh." He moaned, blinking as spots danced in front of his eyes.

*********

Heero opened his eyes to find himself not, as he had first supposed, in his room, but in a bare stone cubicle, grey walls surrounding each side with no windows. Sitting up he stretched slightly, wincing at the stiffness in his muscles. 

A small noise attracted his attention to the opposite wall, where he found a boy about his own age blinking dazedly up at him. "Excuse me," Heero said politely, "But where am I? And if you've kidnapped me, there will be hell to pay."

The other boy kind of gazed at him for a minute before saying in an equally polite manner. "Excuse me, but you're meant to be dead, and I'm meant to be preparing you, so what are you doing alive?"

"Huh?" _That's right! Zechs stabbed me, so…what am I doing alive again?_ Heero thought about this for a while, then decided to ask the boy, well, he was the only one who might hold the answer.

"How…how did I become living again then?"

"Well…see, I touched your wrist to put your hands in the correct position and…there was…" The violet-eyed boy wrinkled his nose a he struggled to describe it, "A…flash, then, when I opened my eyes, you were…moving."

Heero looked at the braided youth for a couple of seconds before saying, "You're not scared? You're not going to cry or faint or something?"

"NO!!" The boy looked shocked at this, "Boy's don't cry baka! And why would I faint, you're not scary!"

Heero grinned at the outright indignation in his eyes. _Bet Zechs would have._

_ _

"So, what's your name?"

"Duo, Duo Maxwell, what's yours?"

"Heero Yuy." Memory stirred in Heero's brain, "say, aren't you that boy everybody keeps talking about?"

Duo grinned, "That'd be me!"

"How you managed to start that…"

"Horse stampede." Duo chorused with Heero.

"And how you managed to insult the high priest of the temple."

"Yup."

"The one they call…" Heero trailed off, suddenly realising he had said too much.

"The Maxwell demon." Duo finished for him with a sigh, "Yeah that's me, the one and only."

"Sorry, if it's any consolation, you don't act like a demon, so your probably not one."

Duo grinned, perking up slightly, "Thanks…Heero wasn't it?"

"Yes."

The braided boy began to pace the length of the room; a worried frown creasing is forehead.

"What's the matter?"

"Well, how on _earth_ am I going to explain to the high priest that you've come back to life?"

"Um…."

"Exactly. I'm already branded as something of a monster with supernatural powers, and as soon as the high priest is dead my time is up, the other acolytes will not let me stay, in fact they'll probably hire some mercenaries to kill me." Duo swallowed, "So you see, whatever happens, I have to come up with an explanation."

Heero thought for a while before saying, "What about saying there was never a body here? At least then somebody else will be blamed."

Duo thought about this, "Well…I don't like lying, but desperate times call for desperate measures right?"

"Yup."

Curiously the violet-eyed boy looked at Heero. "Why are you helping me anyway? I mean, you only just met me, and already you're the nicest person I've spoken to in a long time."

"Well…it's funny but…" Heero hesitated, feeling himself blush slightly, "I feel like I've met you before, like I should know you from somewhere…um…"

Duo nodded enthusiastically, "I feel the same, like we've met before, and, we know one another." 

Suddenly a loud knock sounded on the outside of the ancient wooden door. "Duo Maxwell, open in the name of the chief acolyte."

Duo paled visibly, "that's Althalus, the highest acolyte, he has nearly as much power as the high priest, and he hates me."

"Why?"

"Just because I accidentally stuck some salt in his tea instead of sugar, and ran over his prize vegetable garden with a cart, it wasn't really intentional honest!"

"So in other words, we're in deep shit." 

"Uh…yeah. Quick, lie down and pretend to be dead." 

"Open up!" The hammering on the door had begun to grow louder now. Gulping Duo walked towards, and opened the door.

"H hello Althalus."

The pale-faced man with the balding head looked down his beaked nose at the young man standing in front of him. "Duo Maxwell, you are under arrest in the name of the new High Priest…me."

"WHAT!!! What happened to the other one?"

The sallow faced man rubbed his balding head with an index finger. "He died not an hour ago, naming me his successor with his last breath."

Even from where Heero was laying, pretending to be dead, he could hear the malicious glee in the older man's voice.

"So…what's going to happen to me now?" Asked Duo, a hint of fear creeping into his voice.

"You are under arrest for high treason of sorcery within our holy walls." If anything, the bald man sounded even happier…

To Be Continued…

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	2. The unknown.

Authors note: Wow

Authors note: Wow! Two reviews! (Ok that may have come out a bit sarcastic, but I truly am grateful, thankyooooooou!) Well, why am I drivelling, lets write! (Well ok, from your point of view, read.)

Warnings: A little descriptive violence, 1+2 later, probably not this chapter, um…that's about it…

Disclaimer: Did I do one of these? Well if I didn't I do not own Gundam wing or any of its respective characters. 

**_We who just bumped shoulders,_**

**_And brushed past each other,_**

**_Each in our own way,_**

**_We'll search for tomorrow._**

**_ _**

**_ _**

_Sorcery? _Heero's eyebrow twitched as he tried to remain still, pretending to be dead. 

"Sorcery?" Duo unconsciously echoed Heero's thought the words tumbling from his lips in a burst of obvious confusion.

The man's eyes glittered cruelly in the flickering torchlight. [1] "Duo Maxwell, I'm taking you down to the dungeon, there you will answer for your crimes."

_Oh damn I can't let that happen. _Heero thought, _I can't just let him be taken away like this._

Leaping up from the table Heero ran to the aid of the braided boy standing by the door struggling with two heavy guards. "Sorcery!!!" screamed the high priest pointing a trembling finger at the now mobile Heero, "Even now as we arrest you, you condemn yourself by your own sorcery, resurrecting this poor boy."

Instead of replying to the bald man Duo did something quite unexpected, he hit the man on the nose. "Aaaargh!" the plump priest screamed, he pointed a finger at Duo, "Get him!" He roared at the guards, before standing well back.

Before the guards had time to react however, Duo had grabbed Heero and was sprinting down the corridor with him. Behind them they could hear the guards shouts fading away, and soon the only sound was their rasping breath as they ran left, right, left, "Where…are…we…going?" Panted Heero; struggling to keep up.

"Weapons…room." Gasped Duo as they screeched round another corner, "Know…how…to…use…one?"

"Sword."

"Good."

Suddenly Duo flung them through a door to their right, they tumbled over one another before lying still, what little breath they had had left knocked out of them.

Slowly Duo sat up, looking around, yes this was the place all right, he remembered coming in here to fetch the ceremonial scythe, that was said to have been used by Hades himself, for the master once.

A scraping sound made him spin around, but he relaxed when he saw it was only Heero pulling an old sword out of a scabbard. Coming over he inspected it. The swords blade was notched, as though it had been used a lot in battle, the hilt however, shone as though it were new, although, that could not be so, as there was no fine crack indicating that hilt had been replaced. It was decorated with two white wings, stretched out on either side, so the tips touched in the middle.

"That seems like a good choice."

"Hn."

"I think I'll go look for another weapon for myself." Duo said, backing away from Heero who had begun to swing the sword, testing its balance.

Glancing around he grabbed the first thing that came to hand, before blinking in surprise and double checking, it was the ceremonial scythe, complete with jet black blade and wooden handle. Since Duo didn't know _how_ to use a weapon, he figured this was as good a bet as any.

********

"Search down that alleyway men." Duo swore slightly under his breath as he saw the bulky captain of the guards outlined in the streetlamp; indicate his alley. He and Heero were crouched behind a couple of dustbins, waiting for the city guards to give up the search, (they had managed to make it out of the temple without any trouble) however, it seemed that the new captain, Mueller, wasn't giving up easily.

Looking up once more from where he had been staring at his shoes as he crouched, Duo saw a leering guard looking down at him. "I've found them sir."

Mueller was just starting for the alley, when his man came flying out backwards, landing at least thirty feet away in a pile of straw. (Luckily for him.) The captain narrowed his eyes, so it was true, that Maxwell boy really was a demon. Well, demon or no, he would be caught.

Shouting for his men to attack Mueller ran forward.

Duo looked left and right, no way out, he and Heero were trapped, both backed right up against the wall. Heero had fought extremely hard, protecting both boys for an incredible amount of time, but all humans get tired, and the last of Heero's stamina had just run out.

Sluggishly he blocked a guard's attack, but was to slow to stop the next sword blade, that whistled down towards his head…

Duo saw the blade hurtling towards Heero's head and screamed out in denial, flinging himself at the man, he pushed him away at the last second; so only the hilt caught Heero, knocking him out cold. Duo looked at the now unconscious boy. "A lot of help your gonna be now." He muttered before swinging his feet to stand over him, one foot planted either side he hefted the scythe up a bit further, before swinging it in a wild arc…

Heero felt himself regaining consciousness; all around him he could hear the cries of men, and the sickening crack of weapons. Duo…where was he? The braided baka couldn't fight to save his life; he had to protect Duo. His eyes fluttered open slowly and to his amazement he saw, not Duo cowering in a corner, but a dark-robed figure standing over him wielding a scythe in expert hands.

That couldn't be Duo, so who was this person, defending him with their life? Quickly Heero moved out from beneath the warrior, manoeuvring himself so he could see his face. The warrior did look like Duo, but at the same time very, very different. For a start, the eyes were the same colour, but they no longer held that look of innocence about them, no pure aura that was so simple to read. 

Then there was the shape of the face; it had become more gaunt, shadows ringing the eyes, features more sharply outlined. And the robe, the black robe certainly _looked_ like Duo's however, it seemed to be longer, and now had a hood as well, looking almost like a cowl. [2]

As another guard ran at this new warrior, swinging a sharp sword, the strange being pointed a hand, screaming a word in a strange, guttural language. What scared Heero the most, and he was not easily scared, was not the pure, blinding light that spilled forth from the being's hand, but the way the violet eyes, just for a second, glowed pure Violet, a harsh, intense violet, leaving no trace of pupils or white area, the whole surface of the eye was violet, as this warrior unleashed powerful magic.

Mueller couldn't believe it, his best men had been defeated, and by two boys, he of course had stayed outside the alley, not venturing in, but not one of his men had come out, and he, brave as he was, did not dare enter, so he slunk off to tell the new High Priest the failure in the mission.

********

Duo awoke the next morning to a pounding sensation in his head, and his entire body throbbing. Cracking open one eyelid, he moaned in pain as white, hot sunlight streaked through a high window, burning his eye.

A rustling sound next to him; indicated that Heero had just woken up as well, the rustling sound coming from the hay they were both lying on, in the old, dusty barn. "How, did I get here?" Duo asked carefully, not wanting to talk to quickly, in case his head fell off. "I carried you." Heero muttered, blinking sleep out of his eyes.

Memory came flooding back to Duo. "What happened to the guards?" He asked curiously, "the last thing I remember is seeing you get whacked."

"We had help."  
  


"Who?"

Heero paused, unsure of what to say. "Well, there was this warrior, and he fought, and then, when the guards were all killed, there was a blinding flash, and you was there, lying on the floor unconscious."

Duo was about to reply to this, when a cool, calm voice spoke from behind them. "What are you doing in here?" Both boys spun around, to find themselves looking into a pair of emerald green eyes.

[1] I couldn't resist the flickering torches thing; you always get it in bad movies where people are attacked by angry mobs. ^_^

[2] Another thing associated with death, death traditionally wore a cowl. Like a monks garment, but longer, with a deeper hood, hiding the face.

A/N: another Gundam pilot has appeared, any guesses as to who? ^_^


	3. Trowa.

Authors note: Ok, many, many thanks to whoever has reviewed this, or will review it, I am very grateful, in particular thanks 

Authors note: Ok, many, many thanks to whoever has reviewed this, or will review it, I am very grateful, in particular thanks goes to Nightshadow, Thankyou for your help and comments on my stories, *waves* Hi!! And thaaaaaankyooooou!

**_We'll meet again sometime, in the dreams you're searching for,_**

**_As you face into the wind, and I see your back becoming small,_**

**_In the distance…_**

**_Good luck and Goodbye._**

**_ _**

_"What are you doing here?"_

_ _

Duo blinked, brain still not functioning correctly and looked in (for once) silence at the long-banged emerald-eyed boy in front of him. However, Duo had this uncanny knack of making even silence sound loud, almost as though you could hear his brain ticking over.

Heero, not being able to take another moment of the loud silence asked the boy in a gruff tone, "Who are you? And what do you want." The emerald eyes regarded him thoughtfully for a moment before the red lips formed a reply. "I'm Trowa Barton, and I work here, you may not be aware of this, but the barn belongs to a circus." He paused before continuing, "I know who you are as well, Duo Maxwell," He looked at the still silent Duo, "And Heero Yuy." He once more turned back to the still glowering Heero.

"How do you know our names?" Duo had obviously come out of the stupefied state of mind and was now curious as to why he was infamous enough for this circus boy to know of him. Trowa smiled, "You're on wanted posters all over town, whatever you've done, Captain Mueller must want you pretty badly to go to such an extent as to nail them to nearly every door."

Duo visibly gulped, a light sheen of sweat breaking out on his forehead. "So, are you going to…turn us in?" He croaked out, lips suddenly extremely dry, he quickly licked them and tried again, "Because if you are…"

He was cut off by Trowa shaking his head, "It's none of my business, and I'm not about to get two probably innocent boys slung in jail."

Heero could barely hide the gratitude in his eyes, but managed it all the same, keeping his voice carefully neutral. "Thankyou Trowa, we are…in your debt." He winced at that, but honour required it, the acknowledgment of a life debt was important.

Before the long-banged boy could continue this conversation however a thunderous knocking issued from outside the wooden barn. "DUO MAXWELL, HEERO YUY, COME OUT, WE HAVE YOU SURROUNDED." A loud voice issued from behind the wooden panels. Duo turned paler, and even Heero looked slightly nervous as the sound of at least a hundred swords being drawn in one swift movement came clear on the still air. 

"Oh well, we're boned, nice knowing you Heero." Shock flitted briefly across the blue-eyed boys face. Even in the middle of a crisis, Duo could sound cheerfully optimistic. _It's like he doesn't even fear death._

The loud voice issued again, "IF YOU DON'T SURRENDER NOW, WE'RE GOING TO BURN DOWN THE BARN." There was brief pause from outside and a couple of muffled whispers that sounded suspiciously like, _"yes I know the ringmaster would go mad, but that's just his tough luck corporal."_

_ _

"YES." The voice sounded as though it was trying to reassure itself this time, "THE BARN WILL BE BURNED."

Throughout this entire escapade Trowa had remained silent, now he turned to the would be dead men. "I know a way out, however, you must learn to trust me, because I'm going to have to go with you now, because if I help you, I'm going to be branded an outlaw to."

"You'd really do that to save us?" asked Duo dubiously, "Are you sure, you can always leave now…"

"I'm sure, there are some things that are wrong in my eyes, and condemning two people my age is one of them." Trowa replied firmly.

Duo was about to protest further, but thought better of it when he saw smoke curling under the door; Heero's bangs were already sticking to his head with sweat from the heat.

"Ok, let's go then." Carefully Trowa walked to the back of the barn and pried loose a couple of boards. "Through here."

Quickly the three boys scrambled through…and found themselves face to face with four armed guards. "Oh not _again_." Groaned Duo. 

"I'll handle it." But before Heero could leap forward to engage the first guard, Trowa began to glow with a steady emerald light. "Wha…?" began Duo, only to find himself pushed to the ground by Heero, as the whole world exploded in a silent flash. Blinking the stars out of his eyes for the second time in twenty-four hours Duo looked around, there was Trowa, standing in exactly the same position as before, but of the guards, there was no sign.

"Trowa?" Heero asked, slightly concerned, as the said boy had not moved from where he had been staring at his hands. "Did I know I could do that?" Trowa whispered, still staring at the two hands.

"You can find out about whether you knew or not later." Replied Duo firmly, "right now, I want to get as far away from here as possible if that's just peachy with everyone."

"Hn."

************

"Captain sir, the outlaws are dead." Mueller smiled as he heard the lieutenant's report. "Good work soldier, and the losses?" 

"None dead sir, but four missing."

"Four miss…?" Mueller leapt to his feet, "you fool!" he hissed in anger, "you didn't _see_ them die did you?"

"Well, no sir…but we burnt the barn, there was no way…"

"Don't you see what you've done?" Mueller yelled, veins standing out in his neck as his face turned bright red, "You let them escape! Ten to one they killed the four guards and could be anywhere in this gods cursed kingdom now, if at all!"

"But sir…" the unfortunate soldier was cut off again, this time with a sword in the throat. As he fell to the floor making little bubbling noises Mueller yelled out into the next room. "You out there!"

The man stuck his head round the door, "yes sir?"

"You're promoted to lieutenant, now remove this," he pointed to the now dead man, "And fetch me Zechs Marquise, he's the best tracker we've got."

**********

"Man I am so HUNGRY!!!" Whined a certain violet-eyed boy.

The three boys had been walking for three days since we last left them, dodging all the towns and cities in case any one recognised them, and stealing what they could to survive.

"Shut up and keep walking." Came the curt reply from Heero.

"But Heeeeero I'm huuuuuungry." Whined Duo, louder this time because he could see it was winding the other boy up.

Trowa said nothing.

As they continued their walk through dense undergrowth and trees (you might have guessed they were in a forest) Duo began to daydream about hot food, and warm beds, out loud of course. Eventually his fantasies began getting to the other two, and in the end Heero had to call a halt at the nearest stream so they could have a drink, and at least shut Duo up about, "The lovely cool glasses of cider that you get in those comfortable taverns."

As Heero and Trowa watched, Duo ran down to the waters edge, and frantically began scooping up water with his hands. Suddenly the braided boy over-balanced, falling into the particularly deep area of the rushing water.

"Duo!" Heero called worriedly, running down to the edge, panicking slightly, he wasn't sure if the baka could swim.

As he gazed down at the glittering surface, a hand snaked up and grabbed his leg, pulling him off balance and down into the cold liquid.

"Aaaaah!" Heero yelped, it was _really_ cold water. Duo's head broke the surface at the same time as his, grinning he spat a mouthful of water at the scowling boy, who promptly tried to drown him.

Trowa watched the other two for a while, both of them trying to kill one another. Well ok, that wasn't strictly true, _Heero_ was trying to kill Duo, and Duo was evading his attempts with considerable ease.

Smiling slightly, he turned away and froze. A rustling was coming from the bushes. There it was again. Walking swiftly over he parted the offending foliage. "Who…?" He began angrily and stopped, staring in amazement. 

In front of him was a pure white deer, with dainty black hooves, the only strange thing was the deer's eyes, they were not the normal brown, but a light, clear blue, that looked at him with what could have been human intelligence.

However, the beauty of the creature was spoiled by the ugly hand made arrow sprouting from the creatures side. 

Gently Trowa picked the small deer, up, carrying it back over to near the water's edge. As he stopped he carefully lay the creature down, before turning to ask the other two for help.

"Hey, can you give me a hand over here?"

Duo, rather curious, and getting bored with Heero's failing attempts to drown him, swam over. "YAY!! You found food Trowa my man!!" He licked his lips hungrily, "good work, it's already hurt, so we're really doing it a mercy." He began to get a glazed look over his eyes, "I can cook it for you, but you're gonna have to gut it…"

"No." The reply came quietly but clearly across the distance between Trowa's lips and Duo's ears knocking the braided boy what can only be described as, sideways.

"But Trowa, we haven't eaten in THREE DAYS!!! And now you want us to starve so you can save this pathetic animal. THREE DAYS WITHOUT FOOD, AND YOU WANT ME TO SACRIFICE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO _EAT_!!" Duo's voice had risen to a shriek now, "What are you, a vegetarian?" [1]

"Yes."

"Good one Trowa, but seriously,"

However Duo was once more, shut up mid-sentence, the deer had begun to change…

To Be Continued…

[1] I have absolutely nothing against vegetarians, I am one, so before anybody gets offended that Duo thinks vegetarians are weird, remember, I'm insulting myself too.

_ _


	4. Quatre Raberba Winner

Authors note: *Bounces happily onto the stage* I'm back again, sorry I haven't updated for so long, but I have now, so be happ

Authors note: *Bounces happily onto the stage* I'm back again, sorry I haven't updated for so long, but I have now, so be happy ok? ^_^ Ok, answering questions time, Kasra of _course_ you can have 3+4 I'd love to write it! (But for those of you that are 1+2 fans, well, you won't be disappointed either! *Knowing grin*)

**_Everybody nice! Everybody nice!_**

**_Only meeting and parting again and again…_**

**_Everybody chance! Everybody chance!_**

**_Until you find the answers carry on…_**

**_ _**

**_Although not that hard enough to hurt,_**

**_He's biting his lip hard…_**

**_He's staring off into the distance_**

**_And won't show his heart…_**

**_ _**

"OH MY GOD!!!" The loud shriek echoed throughout the woods, bouncing off the mountains behind and resounding back, wickedly imitating the boy who had just shrieked. 

Duo couldn't care less about the annoying echoes, or the fact that he'd probably alerted all the guards in the area to his presence, what mattered to him was his dinner had just turned into a human being.

Three pairs of eyes stared into a wide pair of blue ones as deadly silence ensued. The new comer was the first to break the silence. "Um…hi. I'm Quatre Raberba Winner…who are you?" 

Trowa, being the only one who's wits hadn't _completely_ left him, soundlessly pointed at Heero before croaking out, "Heero Yuy." The boy/deer nodded, Heero merely glared. "Duo." Quatre turned to find a pair of wide violet eyes drilling into him, the blond observed Duo closely, this boy was not as daft as he had first sounded, behind the wide grin and innocent face lay a sharp mind.

"And I'm Trowa." Quatre turned back to the tall boy with a sweet smile, "I'm so pleased to meet you all." The blond-haired boy said, his smile growing wider. For some reason that was quite beyond Heero and Duo, Trowa blushed.

************

"Hey Q man?" 

Quatre sighed, he had been with the odd group for less than half an hour, and already Duo had adopted him as "one of them" nicknaming him "Q man." It was a little annoying. "What Duo?" 

"How did you turn into a deer?" Duo asked, genuinely curious, after all, it's not every day you come across a boy that can do this transformation.

"Well…" Quatre paused, "This may take a little time, as I have to start as far back as I can remember."

"That's ok Q man, we can talk while we walk…it'll get me out of Heero's hair for a while…right Heero?"

"Hn." 

Duo rolled his eyes, before turning back to Quatre, "You know all, so come on…tell all!"

"As far back as I can remember, I've always been looked after by the hermit who lived in these woods. As a child I used to play all day on my own, talking to the animals…"

Here he was interrupted by an excited Duo, "You can talk to animals! Cool!"

"Yes…well…anyway, as I began to grow, the hermit saw I had this power, and taught me to use it, blocking out all I didn't need to hear, leaving me so I talked to only the ones I wanted to. For years I studied under him, until one day I discovered my other power…I was coming home from walking, when I smelt smoke, running I found our hut on fire, the hermit was dead, soldiers were standing around, waiting for me it seemed because as soon as I appeared they tried to grab me. As they laid hands on me, I felt rage building up…white-hot rage…and then…the next thing I remember I was alone…and all the ground around me was charred and black. I wandered around for ages, before finding a new place to set up a hut. And so I've continued to live here with my animals, but now you know my secret, I guess I'll have to go along with you to make sure you keep my secret."

Trowa who had been listening as well looked at the smaller boy, "You must know, we're being hunted by the official guard."

Quatre appeared to consider this for a moment, before replying to the banged boy, "I'll still come along, you might need me to help, and besides, it's not like I have anything to stay behind for."

**************

The sun was just sinking in the west when they reached Quatre's hut in the heart of the forest, having agreed earlier to stop off there for the night so they could all sleep comfortably and Quatre could pack his stuff.

Hardly saying a word to one another they fell asleep instantly, Quatre curled up beside Trowa, Duo stretched out near Heero.

**************

_They were back at the stream they had met Quatre by, except this time it was different, it was night time, the stars were shining brightly and the moon was out in full. They were all standing there…unsure of what would happen, why…or if anything **would** happen._

_ _

_Suddenly ripples began to grow on the surface of the calm little stream, spreading and spreading until in a quick movement the water spouted upward twisting and shaping itself into a form._

_ _

_It was a woman, she had long honey coloured hair that was done into two little braids on either side of her head. Cornflower blue eyes stared out of a pretty face as she regarded the four boys._

_ _

_"Finally, your paths have crossed." She said, her voice sounding like the rushing of water, or a bubbling stream. "You took your time about it."_

_ _

_"Excuse me ma'am," Said dream Duo, "but I think you've got us confused with someone else, we're nothing special."_

_ _

_"Nonsense!" the woman snapped, "you four are the children of the future, the one's who will change the world."_

_ _

_"Well, that's all very well, but we're not taking orders from a water sprite!" Snapped back Duo, "Who are you anyway?"_

_ _

_The woman put her hands together and bowed, hair swinging one either side of her face, "I am Relena Peacecraft, and like it or not, you are all stuck with this prophecy, particularly you," She indicated Duo, "Your path will be a hard one, but walk it with pride."_

_ _

_"Huh?"_

_ _

_Heero, never one for polite comments said, "If you aren't going to tell us anything, go away."_

_ _

_The woman gave him a slightly startled glance that quite plainly said she was not used to people talking to her like this, but replied with perfect civility. "I have come to tell you, you are all needed, the gods have once more decided that humans are becoming to corrupt and deceitful, so they plan to extinguish all human life and start afresh. You four are the only one's who can save the human race."_

_ _

_"But we're not special!" Argued Quatre, "We're just four boys who happened to meet up…we don't even have proper powers!"_

_ _

_The woman looked slightly smug, "Ah, but you do, and each of you has a power you are not even aware of, a power so great it alone could fulfil your utmost dreams, or destroy them…"_

_ _

_She paused, as if listening to someone, head cocked on one side, before she sighed slightly, "And now, I must go, remember what I have told you and take comfort from one another's presence, and for heavens sake, save the world, it's wrong to let all this work go to waste."_

_ _

_"But…" Trowa began to protest, but go no further._

_ _

_The woman had vanished, the only sound left was the sound of the wind that sounded almost like a voice sighing, saying, "I will be with you…"_

_ _

_Duo looked around puzzled, "Ok, that was weird, what happens no…"_

_ _

*************

_ _

Four boys sat bolt upright, breath coming in short little gasps. Bewildered Quatre looked around, "What are you guys doing awake?" He asked, bemusement showing through in his voice.

"Dream." Heero replied shortly, and was about to lie down again when a slender hand grabbing his shoulder stopped him.

"You had a dream?" Duo queried, violet eyes wide, "What about Hee-chan?"

Heero glared at the other boy, "Don't _call _me that!" He growled.

Quatre smiled slightly, it was obvious to him that despite the fact that Heero growled and snapped at the smaller boy, he was very fond of him in his own way. Looking around he saw Trowa staring at him, a small smile on his face.

Blushing he looked away and back at the now arguing pair by his bed.

"I will no tell you my dream, it is of no concern to you."

"Oh come on Heero PLEASE!?" 

"No."

Duo pouted, sulking slightly, "Come on Hee-chan."

"DON'T CALL ME THAT!!!!"

"Fine, I'll stop calling you Hee-chan if you tell me your dream."

"…"

Duo's eyes caught the slanting moonbeam that came in through the open window of Quatre's hut, making them look almost black. "Please." He whispered.

Heero felt himself weakening; the boy was just too cute for his own good sometimes. [1] "Fine." He snapped irritably, not letting any of the new emotions show through. "There was a woman coming out of the stream we were at this morning when we met Quatre, she said her name was Relena Peacecraft and only we could save the world…" He trailed off as he saw the other's all staring at him.

"What?"

"Uh…um…well…I dreamt the same Heero." Duo managed to stutter out, "and by the looks on their faces…" here he indicated Trowa and Quatre, "They also had the same one."

Quatre could only nod; Trowa did nothing.

"Oh hell, that means either we're all loonies, or we're going to have to save the world." Duo rolled his eyes towards the ceiling, "Why me oh lord of the dark? I'm a decent guy, instead of rewarding me you give me the impossible task of _saving the world!_" Duo's voice rose to a near shriek, "I don't want to save the world, I'm a normal human being!" He didn't seem to be calling on the dark lord anymore, instead he seemed to be yelling at all the people who had hurt him or called him demon in his life. 

"Duo clam down." Soothed Quatre, "We're all in this together, so we're going to have to work together."

"While dodging guards." Heero pointed out.

From Duo's reaction the others gathered he had said _precisely_ the wrong thing.

"Just damn PEACHY!!" The braided boy screamed, "not only do we have to save the world, but we have to dodge guards as well…and if there was the slightest chance we'd escape those armoured fiends, we have NO CLUE how to save the world…" he finished his little rant, panting slightly. 

Suddenly the three other boys began to get the feeling that something was very, very wrong, as Duo continued panting, and before anyone could ask what was wrong, a blinding flash issued from Duo's fingertips, violet light bounced off the ceiling, reflecting off a mirror that broke at the contact, before hurtling out into the night.

Through the ceiling.

When everyone had picked themselves off the floor, they saw, not Duo, but a slightly taller version, violet eyes glimmering steadily, with no apparent pupils. Instead of the customary braid the boy wore his hair in, the chestnut mane was loose, whipping round his head in a wind that was not touching anybody else, in fact there wasn't even a breeze, yet Duo's hair looked like it was in the middle of a hurricane.

"Duo…?" Trowa took an unsure step towards their friend.

Pure violet eyes turned on him, "Stay back." He hissed. His voice, this was another thing, his voice was different, stronger, richer, and deadly serious.

Trowa took another step forward. "Duo…"

A scythe appeared in the being's hand, Duo's customary clothing seemed to seep and melt together into a flowing black robe. "I said stay _back_!" he hissed, the scythe's blade beginning to glow a steady pale violet, sparks crackling along the edge.

Trowa took the last step towards his friend, only to find he was thrown back by such a strong force that he cracked his head on the opposite wall.

Several things happened at once, Trowa slid to the floor unconscious, Quatre leapt to his side, "TROWA!!"

Heero also jumped forward, grabbing the violet-eyed beings shoulders. "Duo snap out of it, Duo please you're hurting your friends!!"

The being blinked, for a second reality seemed to wobble, then it was Duo, Heero was holding Duo.

"Heero?" the voice was barely above a whisper.

"Oh Duo!" To his shame, Heero felt tears welling at the corners of his eyes. He hugged his friend tightly.

Duo looked around in shock, the smashed mirror, the hole in the roof, and finally the still out of it Trowa.

"Oh no." he whispered in shock, "it happened again didn't it?"

Before Heero could reply to this question and ask what "it" meant, violet eyes rolled backwards into Duo's head as he collapsed.

To Be Continued…

[1] No this will not turn into a "worship Duo everybody" fic.__

**_ _**


End file.
